India Women vs Zimbabwe Women, India sealed the T20I series with a commanding nine-wicket victory in the second match at Raipur on Sunday, October 18, 2026. Shafali Verma smashed a rapid half-century, while captain Smriti Mandhana remained unbeaten as India chased down Zimbabwe’s 102 for 8 in just 8.5 overs. India’s bowlers set up the win with a disciplined performance before the opening pair dominated the chase, giving Mandhana her first series victory as India’s full-time captain.

India needed only 8.5 overs to reach 104 for 1, finishing the chase with 67 balls remaining. Shafali scored 55 off just 24 deliveries, hitting six fours and four sixes, while Mandhana contributed an unbeaten 47 from 25 balls. Their opening partnership of 96 runs left Zimbabwe with little opportunity to recover after struggling throughout their innings.

The result highlighted India’s superiority with both bat and ball. After Zimbabwe chose to bat, India’s bowlers restricted the visitors to 102 for 8, maintaining pressure through accurate lines, disciplined lengths and effective use of the slow Raipur surface.

India had also won the first T20I, making Sunday’s result decisive in the series. Zimbabwe had managed 114 for 5 in the opening match before restricting India to 19 for 4 during the chase, but the hosts avoided a similar collapse in the second encounter.

India’s bowlers made an immediate impact after Mandhana expressed her desire for greater discipline with the ball. Kranti Gaud and Nandani Sharma shared the new-ball duties, using movement and the grip available from the pitch to keep Zimbabwe’s batters under pressure.

Zimbabwe managed only 20 runs for the loss of one wicket during the powerplay. Nandani dismissed opener Kelis Ndhlovu for a duck from 11 deliveries, while Beloved Biza fell shortly after the fielding restrictions ended. Deepti Sharma created the opportunity, with Harmanpreet Kaur completing the catch at extra cover.

Zimbabwe struggled to accelerate against India’s disciplined bowling attack, although Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano and captain Josephine Nkomo offered some resistance. Mugeri-Tiripano scored 34 off 32 deliveries, using reverse sweeps effectively to find boundaries against Shree Charani.

However, India’s fielding provided Zimbabwe with a few opportunities to rebuild. Shafali dropped a catch off Charani, while Gaud missed another chance at long-on in the following over. Those errors allowed Mugeri-Tiripano to extend her innings, but India eventually broke through when Niki Prasad entered the attack.

Prasad made an immediate impression on her international debut, dismissing Mugeri-Tiripano and Nyasha Gwanzura with her first two legitimate deliveries. The achievement placed her among a select group of bowlers in women’s international cricket to take wickets with their first two legal balls.

Nkomo top-scored for Zimbabwe with 27 from 35 deliveries, helping her side bat through the innings and reach 102 for 8. Mandhana used seven bowling options, with five bowlers taking at least one wicket, demonstrating the depth available in India’s attack.

The chase was a different story. Shafali and Mandhana attacked from the beginning, taking advantage of loose deliveries and finding boundaries across the ground. India raced to 76 without losing a wicket during the powerplay, putting Zimbabwe’s bowlers under immediate pressure.

Mandhana showcased her range against off-spinner Nyasha Gwanzura, striking four consecutive boundaries in the fifth over. Her footwork and timing repeatedly disrupted the bowlers’ lengths, while Shafali relied on her power to clear the infield and find the boundary with ease.

Shafali reached her half-century in just 24 balls before departing for 55 after mistiming a shot to long-on. By then, India needed only seven runs to win. Anushka Sharma managed one run before Mandhana finished the contest with a six over extra cover, completing an emphatic victory.

The win provided a timely boost for Mandhana’s captaincy and underlined India’s strength in women’s T20 cricket. Shafali’s explosive batting, Mandhana’s composed leadership and the bowlers’ collective effort proved decisive in the second T20I.

With the series secured, India will take confidence from a performance that combined disciplined bowling with aggressive batting. Zimbabwe, meanwhile will need to improve their scoring rate and handle India’s bowling variations more effectively in the remaining fixtures.